Dems call Clinton delegate on carpet
She's accused of criticizing Obama
By John C. Ensslin, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published August 12, 2008 at 12:19 a.m.
Sacha Millstone said party officials are trying to intimidate her.
Colorado Democratic party officials have asked a delegate who supports Hillary Clinton to come to headquarters and talk about a complaint that she wrote a negative e-mail about Barack Obama.
Party Chairwoman Pat Waak confirmed Monday night that the party's political director, William Compton, sent the request to Sacha Millstone, who was elected as a Clinton delegate to the Democratic National Convention.
"All he was trying to do was get some information to determine whether or not this needed to go to the rules committee," Waak said.
Waak said the complaint against Millstone came from another Clinton delegate, whom she would not identify.
So far, she said, Millstone has not responded to Compton's request.
Millstone, of Boulder, could not be reached for comment. However, in an interview with Denver's 7, she was critical of Compton's request.
"I think one of the reasons I got this letter was to intimidate me," she said in the interview. "I thought it sounded very un-Democratic, and I was completely shocked."
Millstone added that the letter is "a very clear message. . . . Keep quiet if you want to come to the convention."
With less than two weeks to the convention, Waak said it was unlikely there would be enough time for the party to remove Millstone from the delegation.
"As far as we're concerned, anytime there's a complaint filed, we have to look into it," Waak said.
In Wisconsin, Democratic party officials in June unseated an elected Clinton delegate who publicly proclaimed her support for GOP presidential candidate John McCain.
ensslinj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5291
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August 12, 2008
3:06 a.m.
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tagazio writes:
Sounds rather un-American if you ask me...both political parties are so idiotic. They care about party before country - it's really so disappointing to watch this process.
August 12, 2008
6:08 a.m.
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Mike846 writes:
All animals are equal; but some animals are more equal than others. So much for diversity, inclusion and independent thought. Mike
August 12, 2008
8:26 a.m.
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DownwardDog writes:
By Order of the commisar, you are ordered to come down to Party Headquarters to explain your statements and partake in appropriate political education by the Political Officer.
Failure to do so will result in your removal from our Glorious party,
Sincerly,
Uncle Joe
August 12, 2008
8:27 a.m.
Suggest removal
JSeifert writes:
Sounds like the Democratic party is turning into the Baath Party like when Sadam called out people that did not support him they were taken out later and shot. I suggest millstone have third party witness when she goes.
August 12, 2008
8:53 a.m.
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MzGabbyGal writes:
Doesn't seem to be a country where people can have opinions without being jumped about them. As a former democrat that left the party after the sexism they allowed and the attempts to make Hillary get out of the primary I left.
I want nothing to do with a party that is not for women and allowed their preselected candidate to use the race card. Dean picked Obama and Obama ran to keep a woman out of the WH. Obama lied when he said he would complete one term as a senator before he even considered it and he continues to lie about his relationships with radical, racists, crooks and terrorists. Obama knows exactly what he is doing. This former Dem is voting for McCain and the only reason I am doing that is because I refuse to have the one I vote for selected for me.
The constant reports or intimidation and the often heard bus load of people at the last minute fits with the way ACORN acts. People were cheated in the primary.
Obama was allowed to have his name in voting places. He said himself he doesn't care if someone is poor they are to give money to his campaign and according to his wife Obama will DEMAND.
We need a leader not an egotist
August 12, 2008
9:10 a.m.
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Danchan writes:
I hope there is more information coming about this, because it is kind of disturbing.
I think one of the more important things to watch right now is that as the Democratic Party takes more seats in the Senate and Senator Obama wins the Presidency, that we don't become too much like the Republican Party.
Republicans are very good at winning elections, but the methods used are pretty disgusting. If the Democrats can win, while maintaining the moral high ground, than it won't just be winning an election, it will be setting an important precedent for future elections.
August 12, 2008
9:33 a.m.
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jay045 writes:
I do think that a political party, after it has settled on a nominee, becomes more of a corporation and less of a democratic process. If Romney's supporters were still looking at organizing to get him the nomination, and were bad-mouthing McCain, the Republicans would react the same way. I think it's fine to let delegates vote for Hilary, but Hilary has thrown her support to Obama and is campaigning for him. If you want to support a party, it's totally inappropriate to bash the party's soon-to-be nominated candidate for president. Kind of like bashing a new CEO publicly -- you can air your concerns during the hiring process, but once they are hired, you're not going to do that if you still want to be a participating member of the company. This isn't to say that people who are members of either or any party shouldn't be totally free to bash on Obama, but those who are participating in the convention as delegates are held to a higher standard.
August 12, 2008
10:27 a.m.
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DemsAreDumb writes:
Jay, Republicans don't have the stupid super delegate thing which caused the whole upheaval. The purpose of the super delegate was for party insiders to vote for the candidate most electable and eliminate the fringe candidate. We see how well that worked out!
August 12, 2008
10:39 a.m.
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CiCi writes:
I think the DNC might be trying to get a democrat elected as president. Why would any democrat undermine that? HRC did not win, you are an adult, act like you're an adult.
By the way, without sexism, HRC probably would have lost in New Hampshire. Sexism has been a very good friend to HRC, she has a hundred million dollars, and his and hers mansions, she's doing fine, how are you?
August 13, 2008
9:13 a.m.
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shootnstraight writes:
The Dem leaders of Colorado manipulated the outcome at every level, starting at the initial caucus up to the State Convention, and now are trying to silence those who still support anyone other than the Dem leaders 'chosen one'.
All citizens, no matter who you support for this race, should be concerned about the strong-arm tactics that are being used to silence any and all individuals that oppose the decision of 'the Obama machine'.